New / Candidate POPS:

POPRC Candidates:

Substance	Abbreviation	Proposing Party	Evaluation Stage
Endosulfan		European Union	Annex D
Short-chain chlorinated parrafins	SCCPs	European Union	Annex E
Hexabromocyclododecane	HBCDD	Norway	Proposal

New POPs Added to the Stockholm Convention:

In 2009, nine chemicals were added to the Stockholm Convention by the Conference of Parties (COP4). Four include exemptions for either specific uses or for their waste phase.

Eight substances were listed in Annex A requiring the prohibition of production, use, import, and export.

Those chemicals listed without exemptions:

  Alpha hexachlorocyclohexane  Alpha HCH (no exemption)

  Beta hexachlorocyclohexane  Beta HCH (no exemption)

  Chlordecone (no exemption)

  Hexabromobiphenyl  HBB (no exemption)

  Pentachlorobenzene  PeCB (no exemption) Also listed in Annex C

Those chemicals listed with exemptions:

  Lindane (five year exemption for treatment of human head lice and scabies)

  Pentabromodiphenyl ether  PentaBDE C-Pentabromodiphenyl ether (PentaBDE)
The specific components of the commercial mixture were listed: Tetrabromodiphenyl ether (TetraBDE) and Pentabromodiphenyl ether (PentaBDE). Exemption for recycling products containing these substances.

  Octabromodiphenyl ether  OctaBDE
The specific components of the commercial mixture were listed: Hexabromodiphenyl ether (HexaBDE) and Heptabromodiphenyl ether (HeptaBDE). Exemption for recycling products containing these substances.

One substance was listed in Annex B Restriction:

  Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) including its salts and Perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF)  PFOS
Many exemptions and acceptable purposes.

Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD)

Uses: HBCDD is used in polystyrene plastics and textiles. Products include insulation board in construction, electrical and electronic equipment, upholstery fabric, draperies, and car interiors.

Effects: HBCDD is toxic to aquatic organisms and affects the thyroid, fertility, and brain function. It has been detected in the Arctic and is transferred from mother to child during pregnancy. HBCDD bioaccumulates and has been found in human milk in Sweden, Norway, and Mexico.

Short-chain chlorinated parrafins (SCCP)

Uses: SCCPs are used primarily in metalworking applications. Other uses include uses as flame retardants or plasticizers in PVC, paints, adhesives, sealants in buildings, PCB substitutes in gaskets, leather fat liquors, and flame retardants in rubber, car carpets, textiles, and other polymers. SCCPs used as flame retardants are added to rubber in a proportion of 1�10%.

Effects: SCCPs can harm sensitive aquatic organisms at relatively low concentrations. SCCPs affect the liver, kidney and thyroid in rats including increased liver, weight, altered liver enzymes, and enlarged thyroid. Rodent studies showed dose related increases in adenomas and carcinomas in the liver, thyroid, and kidney. There continues to be contention over the mechanisms of these tumors and whether they are relevant for human health. SCCPs were classified as a group 2B carcinogen (possibly carcinogenic to humans) by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC). There are no data on fertility or developmental effects for humans.

Endosulfan

Uses: Insecticide for control of aphids, thrips, beetles, foliar feeding larvae, mites, borers, cutworms, bollworms, whiteflies, and leafhoppers. Used on cotton, tobacco, cantaloupe, tomatoes, squash, eggplant, sweet potato, broccoli, pears, pumpkins, corn, cereals, oilseeds, potatoes, tea, coffee, cacao, soybean, and other vegetables. Historically used to control termites and tsetse fly. Used in some countries in the past as a wood preservative.

Effects: Excessive and improper application and handling of endosulfan have been linked to congenital physical disorders, mental retardations and deaths in farm workers and villagers in developing countries in Africa, southern Asia and Latin America. Endosulfan was found among the most frequently reported intoxication incidents, adding unintentionally further evidence to its high toxicity for humans. In laboratory animals, endosulfan produces neurotoxicity effects, which are believed to result from over-stimulation of the central nervous system. It can also cause haematological effects and nephrotoxicity. Recent literature has indicated the potential for endosulfan to cause impaired development in amphibians, reduced cortisol secretion in fish, impaired development of the genital tract in birds and hormone levels, testicular atrophy and reduced sperm production in mammals.

Alpha hexachlorocyclohexane (Alpha-HCH)

Uses: None; waste product

Effects: Alpha-HCH has been shown to be neurotoxic, hepatotoxic, and to cause immunosuppressive effects and cancer in laboratory animals. Several epidemiological studies indicate that alpha-HCH might play a role in human breast cancer as well as hormonal disorders leading to infertility and abortions.

Beta hexachlorocyclohexane (Beta HCH)

Uses: None; waste product

Effects: Alpha-HCH has been shown to be neurotoxic, hepatotoxic, and to cause immunosuppressive effects and cancer in laboratory animals. Several epidemiological studies indicate that alpha-HCH might play a role in human breast cancer as well as hormonal disorders leading to infertility and abortions.

Chlordecone

Uses: Pesticide formerly used on banana root borer, fly larvicide, apple scab, powdery mildew, Colorado potato beetle, rust mite, wireworm, and household ant and roach traps.

Effects: The pesticide is both acutely and chronically toxic, producing neurotoxicity, immunotoxicity, reproductive, musculoskeletal and liver toxicity. Chlordecone is very toxic to aquatic organisms, with the most sensitive group being the invertebrates

Hexabromobiphenyl (HBB)

Uses: Hexabromobiphenyl has been used as a fire retardant in acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) thermoplastics for constructing business, machine housings and in industrial and electrical products and in polyurethane foam for auto upholstery.

Effects: Hepatotoxicity, effects on the thyroid, and endocrine disruption including effects on reproductive capacity in rats, mink and monkeys. There is epidemiological evidence of hypothyroidism in workers exposed to polybrominated biphenyls and of increased incidence of breast cancer in exposed women.

Pentachlorobenzene (PeCB)

Uses: No current intentional use believed though PeCB has been found in the following uses: PCBs, dyestuff carriers, flame retardant, and pesticides (quintozene, endosulfan, chlorpyrifos-methyl, atrazine, and clopyrilid). PeCB has been used to make paranitrochlorobenzene (quintozene).

Effects: PeCB is moderately toxic to humans. Animal studies reveal effects including decreased thyroxin, abnormal sperm, and histopathological effects on the kidneys. Pentachlorobenzene is very toxic to aquatic organisms and may cause long-term adverse effects in the aquatic environment.

Lindane

Uses: Lindane has been used as a broad-spectrum insecticide for seed and soil treatment, foliar applications, tree and wood treatment and against ectoparasites in both veterinary and human applications including treatment of human lice and scabies.

Effects: Hepatotoxic, immunotoxic, reproductive and developmental effects have been reported for lindane in laboratory animals. The most commonly reported effects associated with oral exposure to gamma-HCH are neurological including seizures and convulsions in individuals who have accidentally or intentionally ingested lindane in insecticide pellets, liquid scabicide or contaminated food.

Exemptions:
In the decision on listing of lindane the COP decided
- to list lindane in Annex A of the Convention with a specific exemption for the use of lindane as a human health pharmaceutical for control of head lice and scabies as second line treatment;
- to amend Part I of Annex A of the Convention; and
- requests the Secretariat to cooperate with the WHO in developing reporting and reviewing requirements for the use of lindane as a human health pharmaceutical for the control of head lice and scabies.

Octabromodiphenyl ether (OctaBDE)

Uses: Flame retardant primarily for ABS plastics used in office equipment and business machines. Other uses include nylon, low density polyethylene, polycarbonate, phenol-formaldehyde resins, and unsaturated polyesters.

Effects: Unfortunately, the available information on the toxicity and ecotoxicity of hexa to nonaBDE [which make up commercial OctaBDE] is very limited. Effects on mammals and birds include slight fetotoxicity, increased liver weights, and delayed skeletal ossification. Other observed effects include immunotoxicity and neurotoxicity. There is increasing evidence suggesting similar toxicological profiles and therefore, equivalent hazards and concerns, between PBDEs and PCBs. Components of the octaBDE mixture may be released to the environment by debromination of commercial decaBDE.

Exemptions:
In the decision on listing c-octaBDE, the COP decided to amend Part I of Annex A of the Convention to list c-octaBDE with a specific exemption for articles containing these substances in accordance with provisions of Part IV of Annex A.

Pentabromodiphenyl ether (PentaBDE)

Uses: PentaBDE been used almost exclusively in the manufacture of flexible polyurethane (PUR) foam for furniture and upholstery in homes and vehicles, packaging, and non-foamed PUR in casings and electronic equipment (EE). They are also used to some extent in specialized applications in textiles and in industry.

Effects: Toxicological studies have demonstrated reproductive toxicity, neurodevelopmental toxicity and effects on thyroid hormones in aquatic organisms and in mammals. Information is lacking on the effects in humans of short-term and long-term exposure, although it is to be expected that vulnerable groups can be pregnant women, embryos and infants.

Exemptions:
In the decision on the listing of c-pentaBDE COP4 decided,
- to amend Part I of Annex A of the Convention to list c-pentaBDE with a specific exemption for articles containing these substances in accordance with provisions of Part IV of Annex A; and
- to insert a new section in Part IV to Annex A which, permits recycling of articles containing the above substances.

Note:The flame retardant recycling exemption for PentaBDE and OctaBDE

Since production of PentaBDE and OctaBDE has ended, exposure comes from products and wastes. These items should have been subjected to provisions under Article 6 which requires destruction or irreversible transformation of POPs and forbids disposal operations that may lead to recovery, recycling, reclamation, direct reuse, or alternative uses. Instead parties at COP4 instead provided an exemption that permits recycling of plastics, foam, and other items containing commercial PentaBDE and OctaBDE until 2030. By permitting the recycling of POPs contaminated items until 2030, will ensure continuing human and environmental exposure to these substances and threatens the integrity of the Convention.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

Uses: PFOS uses include: fire fighting foams, carpets, leather/apparel, textiles/upholstery, paper and packaging, coatings and coating additives, industrial and household cleaning products, pesticides and other insecticides, photographic industry, photolithography and semiconductor manufacturing, hydraulic fluids, and metal plating.

Effects: PFOS has demonstrated toxicity towards mammals in sub-chronic repeated dose studies at low concentrations, as well as rat reproductive toxicity with mortality of pups occurring shortly after birth. Environmental toxicity data for PFOS is predominantly found for aquatic organisms such as fish, invertebrates and algae, and for birds. PFOS is toxic to aquatic organisms with mysid shrimp and Chironomus tentans being the most sensitive organisms.

Exemptions:
PFOS, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF)
In the decision on listing of PFOS, its salts and perfluorooctane sulfonyl fluoride (PFOSF), COP4 decided to amend Part I of Annex
B of the Convention to list PFOS, its salts and PFOSF with
- acceptable purposes including photo-imaging, firefighting foam, and insect baits for leaf-cutting ants; and
- specific exemptions including metal plating, leather and apparel, textiles and upholstery, paper and packaging, and rubber and plastics.

Note: Exemptions to continue using PFOS, a toxic chemical that never breaks down.

The POPs chemicals, PFOS and PFOSF were listed in Annex B with numerous acceptable purposes with no time limit; and a range of specific exemptions for a five year time period with possible renewal. These uses included dispersive uses like chemically driven oil production using PFOS. A review is to take place every four years to evaluate continuing need for the exemptions. PFOS is so persistent that it has shown no degradation under any environmental condition tested. In a study of 299 infants in the United States, PFOS was found in the blood of 297 of them.

Following is the list of acceptable purposes and specific exemptions for PFOS approved by the COP4. The list includes dispersive uses such as fire fighting foams and ant baits. Countries principally requesting the exemptions are added in parentheses.

Acceptable purposes (no time limit)

Photo imaging (Japan)
Photo-resist and anti-reflective coatings for semi-conductors (Japan)
Etching agent for compound semi-conductors and ceramic filters (Japan)
Aviation hydraulic fluids (Japan, USA)
Metal plating (hard metal plating) only in closed-loop systems (Japan, China)
Certain medical devices (such as ethylene tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE) layers) and radio-opaque ETFE production, in-vitro diagnostic medical devices, and CCD color filters (Japan, Switzerland)
Fire fighting foam (China)
Insect baits for control of leaf-cutting ants from Atta spp and Acromyrmex spp (Brazil)

Specific exemptions (five years, possibly renewable)

For the following specific uses or as an intermediate in the production of chemicals with the following specific uses.
Photo masks in the semiconductor and liquid crystal display (LCD) industries (Japan)
Metal plating (hard metal plating) (Japan, China)
Metal plating (decorative plating) (Japan, China)
Electric and electronic parts for some color printers and color copy machines (Japan)
Insecticides for control of red imported fire ants and termites (China)
Chemically driven oil production (China)
Carpets (India)
Leather and apparel (India)
Textiles and upholstery (India)
Paper and packaging (India)
Coatings and coating additives (India)
Rubber and plastics (India)

Parties that want to use PFOS for any of these purposes have to register with the secretariat. This register will be publicly available so NGOs can see which countries are using PFOS and for which purpose. In addition, each Party that uses PFOS (or PFOSF) has to develop and implement an action plan as part of their National Implementation Plan.

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��Version: September 2009